It's been a long week, ladies. You've worked hard! Now, your body may be filled with all kinds of tension: your neck, your back, your shoulders, and even your wrists. And even though we can't call it a week just yet, try this magical stretch to get some insta-stress relief—and keep it in your back pocket for Monday! LATimes.com features the move from Jennifer Kries, who has a "Hot Body Cool Mind" DVD series. Go here to watch it in action. Stand in mountain pose: feet together, arms at sides, toes spread. Then press the tips of your thumbs, pinkies, and ring fingers together, straightening your index and middle fingers. Inhale; stretch your arms forward with fingers pointing up. Slowly extend your arms to the sides at shoulder level, keeping fingers up. Exhale; point your extended fingers down, and feel your wrists stretch. Take five breaths. Inhale; reverse finger direction, keeping arms out to your side. Exhale; release fingers and flex your palms, pushing them to opposite sides of the room. Reverse; press fingers down, then release hands and shake them out. Inhale; circle your wrists and fingers in front of your body. Exhale, and move them up over your read more

I've never met a breakfast smoothie I haven't liked. But there's no reason to limit the yumminess to the morning hours—why not pour a smoothie for lunch? They're filling, easy, and quick (which is a big bonus if you're strapped for time during your lunch hour). Lunch smoothies should be low in sugar (so you don't have a sugar crash in the midafternoon) and packed with protein and nutrients (to help you power through until quitting time). Like these tasty ideas: Chocolate-Banana Smoothie: With bananas (of course!) and low-fat yogurt. Source: myrecipes.com via Lexi on Pinterest Thin-Mint Protein Smoothie: With spinach and rolled oats (plus some peppermint extract). Source: rabbitfoodformybunnyteeth.com via Lexi on Pinterest Blueberry-Tofu Smoothie: Plus pomegranate juice. Source: myrecipes.com via Lexi on Pinterest Spinach-Banana Protein Smoothie: With Greek yogurt and vanilla protein powder. Source: garnishwithlemon.com via Lexi on Pinterest SkinnyLicious Protein Smoothie: There's avocado, kale, and green tea in this. Source: skinnyms.com via Lexi on Pinterest Yum—but now I'm really super sad that I dropped my blender after I washed it. Boo! Oh! But take a look at this lunch smoothie recipe (this is a picture of it before it got blended, of course)—there's salsa and olives in read more

Now that it's spring (ohmygoodness, could it actually, seriously be spring?), it's an excellent time to do a little cleaning...of your diet! I don't know about you, but my winter was filled with a lot of heavy stuff like macaroni and cheese. Not that there's anything wrong with a little macaroni and cheese, mind you, but one can definitely start feeling maxed out. At its crux, eating "clean" means forgetting about things that come from packages. You're basically trying to eat food in its natural, unprocessed state. But that doesn't mean you're letting go of deliciousness. Kick-start your spring with these yummy dinner ideas. Fiddlehead Pasta Primavera: Filled with lots of great veggies! Source: cleaneatingmag.com via Lexi on Pinterest Tenderloin Steaks With Red Onions Marmalade: Broil these lean cuts of beef quickly, then top with sweet-and-sour onions. Source: cookinglight.com via Lexi on Pinterest Turkey and Broccoli White Lasagna: With lean turkey and cottage cheese (plus Parmesan, of course!). Source: thegraciouspantry.com via Lexi on Pinterest Yum! Do you ever "spring-clean" your diet? How? (P.S. Lots more recipes here!) Photos: Pinterest read more

What would you do if the company at which you worked made you reveal your weight, height, body fat, and blood pressure? People are up in arms right now, because that's what's happening with the drugstore chain CVS: It's requiring all of the above from its 200,000 employees using the company insurance plan. The company is calling it a "health screening and wellness review so that colleagues know their key health metrics in order to take action to improve their numbers, if necessary," and CVS says it will pay for the screenings if needed. Employees must sign a form that says the screening is voluntary and that it's OK for results to go to the company's insurance carrier (not to CVS itself); if they don't sign the form, they have to pay an extra $50 a month for health coverage (which adds up to $600 a year). Critics are concerned that workers' privacy is at stake—and the results of their vitals could possibly lead to discrimination against those who may be unhealthy, overweight, or disabled. But CVS says: We want to help our employees to be as healthy as they can be, which is why we decided to implement this read more

Years ago, Maria Menounos--host of Extra, author of The EveryGirl's Guide to Life, competitor in Dancing With the Stars, owner of gorgeous hair and super-fit bikini body—lost 40 pounds, going from a size 14 to a size 4. And later on, she broke two ribs and fractured her foot while competing on Dancing With the Stars—it was a huge bummer, obviously, and she was off her feet without the opportunity to exercise. When I talked to her about both, she said there was one thing that kept her on track: healthy eating. "When I lost 40 pounds, I lost the first 20 by diet alone," she says. "At that point, I started working exercise into the equation." The same thing was true when she was off her feet due to her DWTS injuries: "I was injured all this last year. My feet were not healing and I wasn’t able to do much. But I maintained my shape with healthy eating." Now, Maria is bringing awareness to the link between healthy eating and self-esteem with a new PSA for avocados from Mexico. "There are so many things that contribute to self-esteem," she says. "But I've found there's a lot to say read more

Carbohydrates get a bad rap. We toss the bread from our sandwiches, avoid tortillas, and ignore rice—I'm as guilty of giving carbs the occasional cold shoulder as anyone. (Poor potatoes!) But I just watched this short video—"Debunking the Diet: Is Carb a Four-Letter Word?" (it's part of a video series produced by Luna Bar)—and, for me, it provided a nice reminder that we all need a certain amount of good carbohydrates every day for our brains and bodies to...well, work, really. (And I especially love how the dietitian in the video says that we shouldn't call foods "good" and "bad"—let's eat whatever we want; it's all about moderation!) Of course, not all carbs are created equal. Cakes, doughnuts, sugary muffins, even some breads made with refined flours...they lack nutrients, and eating enough of them may raise your risk of developing diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. But there are plenty of carbs that are filled with protein, vitamins, and minerals—plus lots of fiber, which helps keep you feeling fuller, longer, which in turn helps curb cravings. Here are some favorites—plus, tasty recipes that you should totally try. Quinoa: The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations named the read more

Gwyneth Paltrow has always been forthcoming about what (and how!) she eats, and now the actress and cookbook author (her newest: It's All Good: Delicious, Easy Recipes to Make You Look Good and Feel Great) is talking about how her latest diet change also altered her relationship with her husband. Gwyn says had been feeling fatigued and faint; she was depending on sleeping pills and wine to relax. That's when her doc diagnosed her with anemia, a vitamin D deficiency, and stress. The prescription: an elimination diet (no coffee, alcohol, eggs, sugar, shellfish, wheat, meat, soy, or anything processed). The change in diet, Gwyneth says in this Self article, changed everything: You feel lighter and your emotions get smoother. I also was run-down because I had a lot of unexpressed anger. I made everyone else's feelings more important than my own. I'd suck it up and then be alone in my car yelling at traffic or fighting with hangers in my closet when they got stuck together. and You're not learning anything unless you're having the difficult conversations. Dealing with things directly changed my relationships. Sometimes when you get clear about who you are, others get less comfortable because they read more

With bikini season looming in the not-too-distant future, this could be something worth thinking about: According to a new study, shaving or waxing in the genital area may up your chances of contracting the molluscum cantagiosum virus. The quite-small study was published in the British Medical Journal, comprised 30 people—six of them women and 24 of them men (am I alone in finding this makeup slightly odd?)—who had sought treatment for "lesions in the genital area" in Nice, France. Of those 30 people, 93 percent had shaved, clipped, or waxed their genital regions. According to the researchers: "Hair removal (laser excluded) could be a risk factor for 'minor' sexually transmitted infections, such as sexually transmitted molluscum contagiosum and perhaps condylomas" [a subspecies of papillomavirus]. The researchers theorize that having less/no pubic hair may make it more possible for the virus to be transmitted via skin-to-skin sexual contact and say that shaving may be especially dangerous because of the chances it deposits microscopic cuts or bleeding during the hair removal. Signs of the virus include "pearly papules," which can spread up to the abdomen and to the thighs. In the study, participants also had associated skin conditions, including ingrown hairs, warts, read more

Here we are, headed off into March Madness! And here's something interesting—you don't have to actually be an NCAA b-ball player to experience some physical effects of the games. Even just watching tweaks your body in some truly amazing ways, according to research and also Vicki Greenberg, University of Phoenix Family Nurse Practitioner Program manager (and avid sports fan). "Watching the big game is stressful just like running from a fire, and the body goes through chemical changes that mimic a 'flight or fight' response. " she says, "We experience excitement, anxiety, and physical exertion from jumping up and down. This can cause the body to perceive stress, leading it pump out hormones and chemicals, such as cortisol and adrenaline, which affect heart rate and blood pressure." She adds that, for most of us, the effects of watching the game are short-lived, and our bodies go back to their normal states after all is said and done. Take a look: You flood your body with endorphins and oxygen. "Rooting—cheering and yelling—gives you an outlet for your aggression and can also release endorphins and increase oxygenation to the body." You get happy. "There are also psychological benefits. Rooting for a team read more

OK, this certainly surprised me, because it is exactly the opposite of what I thought it would be. Here we go: In a study of 210 people, scientists at Duke University found that women who didn't get enough sleep were "more hostile and angry" in the mornings than men who had the same amount of sleep. That part doesn't surprise me—I have definitely had my mornings where I've ruled supreme as Crankmaster General—but this part does: The researchers say our difference in hormones means we require more sleep than men. In fact, they say we need more time snoozing so that we keep our "hormones in balance." That's right! We just might require more sleep! The researchers say that women suffer more—"mentally and physically"—if they don't log enough zzz's. In the study, women with less sleep than men had greater feelings of hostility and anger than the men did. And in the long term, the study found that women who continually got too little sleep were more likely to develop heart disease, depression, and psychological problems than men. Yikes. But I would just like to take this opportunity to thank hormones for giving women everywhere a possible excuse to sleep read more

This is the kind of question that really never comes up, does it? Until suddenly it does—like when you're at a very random cocktail party. Or in Playboy magazine and you're Lena Dunham. In its latest issue, Playboy asked Dunham what she would do if she woke up in the body of a Victoria's Secret model. The Gloss points out that you'd never see "John Goodman or Seth Rogen or any other less-than-Olympian-sculpted actor being questioned on how they would react if [they] suddenly woke up and looked like Ryan Gosling"—and it's true, Dunham often snags a lot of media attention for her body type. (Remember that Howard Stern thing a few months ago, where he called her a "little fat girl"? Argh!)That she's given so much heat in the first place is seriously a whole other series of posts. Anyway, Playboy asked the question, and Lena answered: I’d be really disoriented and wonder what had happened in the night. Which enemy had dragged me to the doctor? I don’t think I’d like it very much. There would be all kinds of weird challenges to deal with that I don’t have to deal with now. I don’t want to go read more

OK, show of hands: Which of you lovely lassies will be partaking in a St. Patrick's Day celebration (or two!) this weekend? Well, step away from the beer, and try one of these St. Paddy's-inspired cocktails instead! Bonus: Each is less than 200 calories. But remember—and I'm not trying to be a buzzkill—I just want you all to be as safe and healthy as possible (and avoid an awful Monday-morning hangover, hello!): Have plenty of water between each drink, and try to keep the drinks to no more than two. There are more tips on safe drinking here. OK! Now take a look: St. Peppermint Patty's Vojito (137 calories) 7 mint leaves 1 lime wedge 1.5 parts Skinnygirl Cucumber Vodka 3 parts soda water 1 chocolate-covered peppermint candy Squeeze lime wedge into glass, muddle lime wedge with mint leaves and vodka. Add ice. Top with soda water. Garnish with chocolate-covered peppermint candy. (Can also add 1/2 tsp. agave nectar for sweetness.) The Lucky Sip (150 calories) By JP Gwozdz, Sportsmen Lodge 1 1/2 parts Porton 1 part fresh lime juice Cucumber Basil In a shaker, muddle two slices of cucumber and a few basil leaves. Add Porton and fresh lime read more

You gotta hand it to the organizers of National Pi Day—over the years, they have really some solid publicity to the mathematical constant. On 3/14, people all around are celebrating 3.14 in awesome ways: free pieces of pizza at 3:14 P.M., 3.14 percent-off deals on computers, 3.14-mile bike rides. And for many of us, Pi Day also means: pie. Obviously, right? There are seriously about a million different kinds of pie in the world, but today, let's take four classic flavors...and healthify them. These healthier pie recipes are from Anthony Stewart, executive chef at the Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa. Take a look--I love some of the secrets that he uses to cut down on fat and calories without taking away one of the most important things about pie: its yummy pie-ness (we're talking flavor and texture). Pumpkin Pie According to chef Stewart, a slice of traditional pumpkin pie can pack 5 grams of saturated fat. This version nets zero grams of saturated fat (and has things like butternut squash, corn flakes, and egg whites as secret ingredients!). Ingredients Half a large butternut squash (cut squash in half), seeds removed 2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (no additives) 3 egg whites, read more

You know how you have that one really great little black dress that makes you feel like a million bucks? That’s the principle behind The Bar Method’s “Little Black Dress” workout. The Bar Method is a non-impact body-sculpting system that’s meant to elongate your muscles, improve your posture, and burn fat. Burr Leonard created the method, drawing on principles from isometrics, dance conditioning, interval training, and physical therapy. Burr put together these three classic moves for us all to try. Behold, the "Little Black Dress" workout: The Bar Method Reverse Push-ups "Reverse push-ups work the largest muscle in your arms, the triceps. When your triceps are carved, they give your entire arm the sculpted appearance that guys can't take their eyes off. Do an extra set of reverse push-ups in every class you take, and bend your elbows more as you go down and up. How to do it: Sit on a soft, carpeted floor or mat. Bend your knees, open your legs to hip-width apart, and place your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands under your shoulders, and face your fingers forward toward the front of your body and slightly turned out. Draw your shoulders firmly down. read more

I was just pondering the fact that one guy made it his mission to make a breadless grilled cheese and a bun-less double cheeseburger and wondering how many calories those might be (answer: the cheeseburger is estimated at 4,300 calories) when these two bits of news came in. And what can I say, it was a bit of a palate cleanser. Nutrition news item No. 1: Pinkberry will carry Greek yogurt. On April 1, Pinkberry will release Pinkberrygreek at all of its locations: fresh, non-frozen, nonfat yogurt with 15 grams of protein per 5-ounce serving, with no added sugar or preservatives. You can add toppings and everything, or order some of the Pinkberrygreek signature recipes, such as Chocolate Berry (blueberry, raspberry, dark chocolate granola, chocolate shavings, cinnamon honey) or Tomato Basil (grape tomato, basil, olive oil, sea salt, balsamic glaze). Nutrition news item No. 2: McDonald’s will offer egg-white-only sandwiches. On April 22, the restaurant chain is rolling out the new Egg White Delight McMuffin. Instead of being nuked in a microwave, the egg whites will be cooked on a griddle and flipped with a spatula. The new breakfast sandwich will also have one slice each of American cheese and read more

OK, that's it. I was diagnosed with nasty case of strep throat yesterday—I can barely turn my head because my neck hurts too much!—and I'm done. I'm absolutely, 100 percent done with being sick this season. So let's get acquainted with some things that boost your immunity, big-time. What do you say? Tangerines: Poor tangerines are often overlooked for their big cousins oranges, but they're chock-full of immunity-boosting good stuff: vitamin C, beta carotene, vitamin B complex, calcium, iron, plus fiber and protein. Research has actually shown that vitamin C can greatly help ease cold symptoms. Pistachios: A study found that the number of phytosterols in pistachios may reduce the amount of cholesterol in your blood—while also increasing your immunity, along with a set of about 10 different antioxidants that help fight free radicals and combat illness and disease. Sleep: We all know by now how important sleep is—we get it, right? And here's another reminder, because when you're sleeping, that's one of the few chances your body actually gets to repair all of its cells, readying itself for the next thing that may be coming at it. In fact, one study found that not getting enough sleep is as read more

When I saw that Erin Palinski, R.D., and author of The Belly Fat Diet for Dummies, had posted these delectable-looking recipes that also just happen to have the potential to burn off some belly fat, I thought you guys might be interested! So why are these good for blasting belly fat? Palinski emphasizes mindful eating, and these recipes have at least one good source of healthy fat (monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids help to fight both belly fat and inflammation) and are filled with fresh veggies (low in calories, fiber that keeps you full, and lots of disease-fighting antioxidants). If I weren't right this second dealing with strep throat—AGAIN—I'd be whipping up one of these recipes right now. Oh, well, maybe something to look forward to for tomorrow, right? Give each recipe below a click for instructions. Broccoli and Cheese Omelet Per serving: calories 239 (from fat 145), fat 16g (saturated 7g), carbohydrates 4g (dietary fiber 1g), protein 21g Hot and Spicy Vegetarian Chili Per serving: calories 302 (from fat 55), fat 6g (saturated 1g), carbohydrates 50g, dietary fiber 15g, protein 16g Bean, Ham, and Cheese Breakfast Burrito Per serving: calories 389 (from fat 118), fat 13g (saturated 6g), read more

What kinds of medicines or supplements do you take in a day? If a daily dose of aspirin is on your list, you might be interested in the results of this new study. According to an analysis of the Women's Health Initiative observational study, postmenopausal women who took aspirin regularly reduced their risk for melanoma—and the longer they took it, the lower their risk (researchers found that women who took aspirin five years or longer had as much as a 30 percent reduction in melanoma risk). This is cool news, because lots of other research has shown that aspirin might be associated with decreased cancer risk in certain kinds of cancers, like gastric, colorectal, and breast cancer. And while the researchers underscore that these results apply to their test subjects—all older white women—they also say that the findings are an exciting piece to the puzzle. Obviously, like any medication, there are benefits and risks to taking a daily aspirin, and you should really do it only if your doc tells you to. Do you take aspirin? What's your medicine cabinet like? Photo: Thinkstock read more

Kourtney Kardashian gave birth to baby Penelope late last year (on camera!) and her body, which obviously has just undergone tons of changes in pregnancy and during labor, is in the process of getting itself back to normal. I don't mean just weight—we're talking hormone levels, possible back pain, maybe some bigger feet, and all kinds of fun. But weight is obviously the thing most people focus on, even though losing pregnancy pounds can take upwards of a year. And it seems that Kourtney's fiance, Scott Disick, isn't keen on how long it's taking her to get back to the weight she was when they first met: 95 pounds. In fact, he says he wishes the five-foot Kourtney would step it back to 93 pounds—and this revelation made her cry. On the most recent episode of Kourtney & Kim Take Miami, Kourtney hops on the scale and sees that she's at 115. Here's a bit of how it went down, according to US Weekly: "I feel like 93 is the dream," Disick said, sighing. "Your body was banging when I first saw you on the beach with that little ass." Kourtney initially shrugged off his comments, but Disick continued to read more

You know how you chitchat with your hairdresser about what's you've been up to for the last couple of months, what your plans are for the summer, and how you want Nikki Reed's highlights? Well, as he was trimming my hair the other day, and I was lamenting that I'd really like it go grow much longer (it's currently about two inches longer than in that picture up there but not exactly what you'd call long and luxurious), he suggested I look into biotin, which he said seems to promote hair growth. Look into it I did, as I'm just naturally nosy about all kinds of health-related things. Biotin, it turns out, is a water-soluble B vitamin found in foods such as Swiss chard, carrots, walnuts, strawberries, and eggs. And it's an important one: The vitamin actually helps your body process fat and sugars, meaning it helps form a critical process in fat production. Most of us get biotin through diet alone; it's suggested we get 30 micrograms per day (a cup of carrots has 6 mcg). Supplements are available too, and you should obviously talk to your doc if you're taking any medications or have any medical conditions before read more